The Breeze (radio network)

The network launched when Play Radio (a combination of two stations in Hampshire) was acquired by Celador along with an additional station in Portsmouth and rebranded as The Breeze on 4 July 2010. The individual stations have all operated under various owners, formats and identities, with the stations having launched between 1998 and 1999 as a series of local stations focused on a specified broadcast area.

In 2011, Celador acquired two Total Star stations in Bristol & Bridgwater, and successfully applied for an FM licence serving the Bath area,[2] and relaunched all stations as The Breeze. All local programming is now identical across all licence areas.

The Breeze is currently based in Torbay, Southampton, Bristol and Basingstoke.

In February 2019, Bauer Radio acquired Celador Radio stations, including The Breeze. The licences for Southampton, Portsmouth and Winchester were sold on to Nation Broadcasting, along with Sam FM (South Coast) which also broadcasts from the Southampton studios, due to the overlap with existing Bauer-owned regional adult-contemporary service Wave 105. The other Breeze stations will remain with Bauer.

As of July 13, 2020, The Breeze network was replaced by the Greatest Hits Radio network. They are retaining their branding and share the same playlist as GHR until September 1 - which is when they will be fully replaced.

The Breeze originally launched as a number of stations in the South and the West of England.

• The Breeze (Basingstoke & North Hampshire) The station was launched on 16 December 2012 by the merging of three stations in Andover, Newbury and Basingstoke. In August 2017 107 JACK FM (Berkshire) in Reading was rebranded as 'The Breeze', and added to the Thames Valley feed.
• The Breeze (Bridgwater & West Somerset) launched in 1998 as Quaywest 102.4. It later acquired a station called BCRfm before being taken over by One Gold Radio and relaunched as Total Star Somerset until August 2011.[3]
• The Breeze (East Hampshire & South West Surrey) was originally three individual stations all launched in 1999 – SouthCity FM (Southampton), Win 107.2 (Winchester) and Radio Victory (Portsmouth). Following subsequent mergers and acquisitions the stations were acquired by Celador in 2010 and rebranded into one station.[4] Kestrel FM Haslemere joined the south network on 16 December 2012.
• The Breeze (North Dorset) (as of 25 June 2012) started on 25 June 1995 as 97.4 Gold Radio before becoming Vale FM. It was rebranded as Midwest Radio in August 2010.
• The Breeze (South Devon) started on 26 May 2006 as Palm 105.5, which had previously held three Restricted Service Licences for the Torbay area.
• The Breeze (South West) was created on 29 March 2013 by the merging of four stations in Bristol, Bath, North Somerset, Frome & West Wiltshire
• The Breeze (Yeovil & South Somerset) (as of 25 June 2012) started in October 2003 as Ivel FM and relaunched as Midwest Radio in August 2010.

• Official website